Issues: Victims

NEW YORK, NY - The Independent Democratic Conference released its 2012 legislative agenda Thursday aimed at strengthening this state's economy, improving the lives of New York residents, and preserving New York's progressive tradition.

The agenda was released on the anniversary of the IDC's formation and after a successful year that saw many of the conference's 2011 priorities made into law.

Bill allows local businesses and non-profits to be safe-havens for crime victims

Queens, NY – Continuing his fight to ensure safety in the neighborhood, Senator Michael Gianaris today announced he has introduced new legislation expanding New York’s “Good Samaritan” laws. The legislation would protect local businesses and non-profits offering themselves as safe havens from being held liable for damages or injuries that may have occurred while helping a victim.

Senator Gianaris held a press conference at Dazies, a restaurant owned by a small business owner in Sunnyside, to formally announce the legislation.

ONEONTA, 11/29/11 – State Senator James L. Seward (R/C/I – Oneonta) today announced he is co-sponsoring legislation that will close a loophole in the state’s child abuse reporting requirements. The “College Coaches and Professionals Reporting Act” adds college coaches, athletic directors, professors, graduate assistants, administrators and college presidents to the list of mandatory reporters of child abuse in New York.

NY1 also wrote on the elected officials' responses to the recent surge of crimes in Astoria, including Senator Gianaris' plans to protect small businesses and organizations from lawsuit should they need to be safe havens for residents who feel they are in danger.

NY1 VIDEO: At an Astoria rally on Thursday, elected officials revealed new crime-fighting legislation that will dole out harsher punishment for sex crimes and not have store owners be liable for injuries that happen while helping a victim seeking shelter.

NY Daily News wrote on the recent efforts by Senator Gianaris and other elected officials to resond to the string of crime in Astoria. Senator Gianaris' bills to protect children from predators in addition to expanding the Good Samaritan Law to small businesses will combat these crimes and reduce the amount of danger in our streets.

A recent spate of gropings, car break-ins and purse snatchings is sparking calls for expanded civilian patrols and block watchers in Astoria.

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Vallone, along with state Sen. Michael Gianaris (D-Astoria) and Assemblywoman Aravella Simotas (D-Astoria), rallied with local residents last week and unveiled a anti-crime plan that includes both legislation and civic activism.

The Queens Gazette reported on the efforts by Senator Gianaris and other elected officials to address the recent crimes in Western Queens. In addition to addressing questions and concerns from the community, Senator Gianaris has also introduced the expansion of the Good Samaritan laws that will protect our local businesses and non-profits from lawsuits so that they can be havens for victims who feel at risk in their surroundings.

Fed up with incidents of groping, car vandalism and even attempted rape, community leaders and activists met to discuss new crime fighting initiatives to create a safer environment in Astoria.

The Queens Tribune wrote about the Neighborhood Watch, which was enacted in response to the recent surge of crimes in Queens. Senator Gianaris, along with Vallone and Simotas, has also proposed legislation that will protect children from predators after a girl was inappopriately touched by an unknown man.

In light of a recent Astoria crime surge, Councilman Peter Vallone Jr. (D-Astoria) organized the first meeting of a new Neighborhood Watch in an effort to take back the streets.

As part of my ongoing commitment to provide you with information that will help keep your home, family, business and community safe, I am pleased to let you know of a new program called NY-Alert.

NY-Alert is a web-based, early warning program offered through the New York State All-Hazards Alert and Notification website. The information posted here includes severe weather warnings, significant highway closures, hazardous materials spills, and many other emergency conditions.

Queens Chronicle wrote about the anti-crime rally in Astoria where Senator Gianaris and other elected officials spoke out against the recent string of crime, such as robberies and groping incidents. The senator's proposed expansion of the Good Samaritan laws to businesses would allow for organizations to protect victims without worrying about libel suits.

NY1 reported on the Queens anti-crime rally, where elected officials encouraged citizens to come together to reduce crime. In light of recent robberies and an attack on a young girl in Queens, Senator Gianaris spoke on the positive impact of the Good Samaritan law when expanded into businesses.

"We had an incident where someone who was the victim of the crime was seeking to run into a local deli for shelter and the store owner, for whatever reason, was very apprehensive about getting involved and didn't open the door to let the person in,” said State Senator Michael Gianaris. “What we're trying to do is to change the law to provide the same kind of Good Samaritan protections that individuals have to small businesses."

Senator George Maziarz (R-C, Newfane) today announced that he is introducing legislation in the New York State Senate to close a loophole in the state’s child abuse reporting requirements. The bill would add new individuals to the list of mandatory reporters of child abuse in New York: college coaches, athletic directors, professors, graduate assistants, administrators, and college presidents.

Local leaders protest recent area crimes and introduce initiatives to make the neighborhood safer.

Queens, NY – Senator Michael Gianaris, Assemblymember Aravella Simotas and Council Member Peter Vallone, Jr. today held an anti-crime rally to protest the concentrated number of criminal activities that have occurred in the neighborhood recently. The elected officials, as well as community leaders and activists, also announced new crime-fighting initiatives to increase safety in the neighborhood.

Program allows parents to quickly search surroundings for threats to children

State Senator Steve Saland (R,I,C – Poughkeepsie) today announced that the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) has launched a Sex Offender Locator application which is accessible via the New York State Public Safety Facebook page. The app makes it easier for parents who want to quickly look up information regarding Level 2 and Level 3 Sex Offenders within their immediate area.

Senator Steve Saland (R, I, C - Poughkeepsie), Chairman of the Senate Codes Committee and an author of a number of child protection and domestic violence laws, announced that New York State must act on his legislation which requires suspected acts of abuse by a person in a position of authority to be reported immediately to law enforcement.

The Queens Gazette wrote on the October Community Board 1 meeting, where questions were raised on how the state deficit will be handled this year. Senator Gianaris, as the keynote speaker, spoke about a range of topics including ways in which we can boost our economy and maintain community members' rights to services they need.

New York state faces a projected budget deficit of $2.4 billion next year and after closing a gap of $10 billion, largely through cuts to health care and education, the question raised at the October meeting of Community Board 1 was how the state will handle the deficit this year.

Sunnyside Post wrote on the latest string of groping incidents Sunnyside and Woodside. Senator Gianaris has been working to inform the community about this danger by speaking at press conferences and passing out flyers on ways to stay protected on the streets.

Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer held a press conference on 46th Street and Queens Boulevard in Sunnyside today to alert the public and aggressively search for a perpetrator who has been groping women, and one 12-year-old girl in the Sunnyside/Woodside neighborhoods of Queens.[...]

The Times Ledger reported on the series of groping incidents in Western Queens. Senator Gianaris, in addition to his legislation that makes groping children a felony, has been advocating for community involvement for safer streets.

City Council Speaker Christine Quinn (D-Manhattan) and Sunnyside electeds passed out fliers near the No. 7 train 46th Street-Bliss Street station early Monday morning, warning commuters of a groper in the area who has attacked five women and a 12-year-old girl.